Li-Xiang

Lixiang, seated at her desk, quietly let out a sigh.
「Moonshadow Cult.」
She was part of a renowned family of doctors. Her family strictly separated patients who could be treated from those who could not. Those who could be treated were cared for with utmost devotion, while those who could not were given a final breath through the fragrance of sleep.
A peaceful end without pain. Under that pretext, it was a death carried out not by the will of the patient, but by the will of others. And under that will, she had taken the lives of many.
Now she knows that way of thinking was wrong. But she could not deny her family’s words about a peaceful end without pain. Because she had seen so often what a life worse than pain looked like.
People attacked by monsters, those suffering from severe illness, soldiers gravely injured on the battlefield. She had faced countless patients and deaths, but the most horrific were those caused by Nectar.
Those who stumbled into a Nectar swamp, those attacked by the Moonshadow Cult, those who ingested Nectar directly.
The causes were all different, but the end was always the same — a horrific death.
So much so that being alive was itself called suffering.
And now, the Kampf Mercenary Corps must fight the Moonshadow Cult, who deals in Nectar.
Lixiang, stroking the tip of the censer with her finger, spoke in a somber voice.
「The fragrance of sleep. I hope I never have to bring it out again.」

You’re here? I’m glad to see you’re doing well. How have I been lately, you ask? Same as always. Making medicine and incense, treating people, reading books. Just living as I always do.
Ah, right. There is one thing that’s changed. Do you remember Noje? The one who was running around so eagerly to become a full-fledged mercenary. I taught him too. I tried teaching him how to make first-aid medicine, but it wasn’t easy. His skill at making medicine was hopeless. He couldn’t even tell herbs apart and ended up mixing poison herbs into ointments. So I decided to give up teaching him about medicine. If I kept going, he might really end up hurting someone.
But surprisingly, he seems to have talent when it comes to using his body. It seems he hadn’t had proper training until now. After training under Kana, his skills improved and he gained confidence. He’s still lacking, but with a bit more training, I think he could become a combatant.
The problem is Kana. He’s so full of himself now, saying he trained Noje. He goes around boasting about Noje to everyone else. And Noje, in his own way, is so excited that he follows Kana everywhere. These days, Noje practically worships Kana.
So I’m really tired lately. Kana comes to me at every opportunity, saying how, unlike me, he didn’t give up on Noje and raised him into something great. He comes so often, my ears are about to fall off.
Sigh. Maybe I should take on a proper student and raise one myself...